Disclaimer: Ok by now you know the drill. I own nothing… I just wish I had a Dean or Sammy under the tree for me this year. Alas… No luck.
Author's notes: Woohoo! Another day posted on time! LOL. Big thanks out to my beta for her patience of so far reviewing these 21 chapters. There will be more. This is going to go for a bit longer than I originally expected so stay tuned.
Well here is some more angst. I swear I just couldn't help myself. There is some medical mumbo jumbo below which I founf from the wikipedia site. I did my best with it, but still as much as I learned about broken bones on the site I'm not sure I got it write. So if you are looking for any kind of proper medical reference you're probably not gonna find it here. Although I did try.
Merry Christmas everyone and I hope everyone got what they wanted from Santa this year.
Trust and Faith
By infinite shadow
Day 21 December 25
The road home was still very treacherous but they made it back to Jim's in one piece. They had passed many accidents on the way there. Many would not make it to their destination for Christmas. They would be waking in hospital after sliding off the icy roads.
It was four in the morning when the Winchester's finally pulled into Jim's driveway. John looked over at his sleeping son and gently shook him awake. "Merry Christmas Dean," he whispered and watched the pale faced boy smile back at him.
"Merry Christmas Dad," he said softly.
If John had looked closer he would've realized that the smile was more of a painful grimace and that he was shaking from the cold. They slowly got out of the truck and went into Jim's kitchen. They took off their winter wear and headed for the living room. Both planned to stretch out on the couch or recliner.
"Sammy?" Dean whispered as they walked into the room.
Sammy stood there in front of the tree staring forlornly at the sparkling evergreen. Angel who was sitting at his feet turned at the voice. She barked and headed over to the new arrivals with her tail wagging furiously in greeting.
"Hey girl," Dean said softly as he reached down and petted her not taking his eyes off his little brother.
Sammy turned and looked at them. His eyes widened as big as saucers. "Daddy? Dean?" he asked softly.
"Yeah kiddo. It's us," John said and walked forward. He scooped up his youngest boy into his arms and held him tight. "Did you miss us?"
Sammy snuggled into him and nodded against his chest.
Dean watched the interaction and smiled. They were home. Sammy was here and he looked fine. He turned his gaze slightly away from reunited father and son to the footsteps thumping down the stairs.
"Thank God. John. Dean. You're back," Jim said as he joined them in the living room.
Dean swayed on his feet slightly with his hand still on Angel's back. The little dog whined softly.
"Hell of a trip Jim," John said. "Glad it's over."
"I'll bet," Jim said.
Behind them Dean began to see two of everything and he shook his head to clear it. It was too cold and the tree was too bright in the darkness. He slipped down to his knees without making a sound. The room had begun to tilt funny and he tried to push off Angel who was pressing her cold nose into his face.
Angel licked Dean's face.
"Hey everyone," Caleb murmured as he came down the stairs. "Glad to see you back old man," he said as he clapped John on the shoulder.
"Old man?" John repeated.
"Well you are much older than me," Caleb pointed out.
Angel whined louder as Dean pitched forward and passed out. She growled, whined and barked loudly. She dug at the carpet then leaned in to sniff at his ear and licked him but the boy would not wake.
"Where's Dean?" Caleb asked as he turned and looked around the room.
"Right behind me," John said and turned. All three men saw him face first on the floor with Angel pawing at him.
"Dean?" Sammy whispered.
Jim and Caleb were beside him on the floor in an instant.
"Dean?" Jim said his name softly as he gently rolled the boy over.
Caleb jumped up and rushed upstairs.
"He was fine a minute ago," John said as he knelt next to Jim. Sammy stood behind them by the couch watching everything with wide eyes.
Dean's head rolled to the side and no amount of light tapping or shaking would wake him.
Caleb rushed back down the stairs now fully dressed with car keys in hand. "Give him to me," he demanded and before the two men could say anything he had the nine year old in his arms and he was racing towards the door.
"We'll meet you there Caleb," Jim called out.
John looked at the cleric in shock.
"John? John listen to me," he said as he grabbed John by the arm to keep him standing.
"He was fine," he whispered and swayed slightly as exhaustion and his own injuries almost made him pass out.
"Sammy and I will get dressed. Then we'll go to the hospital together. He's in good hands with Caleb," Jim said as he steered him over to the sofa. "Sit down."
John stood there and ran a hand through his hair. "He was fine," he repeated again.
"And he will be. Just sit down and wait for a moment, ok?" Jim said sternly.
It took a moment but John nodded and sank down on the couch.
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Caleb screeched his car to a stop outside emergency. He rushed around to the passenger side and yanked it open. He gathered Dean into his arms and ran full out into the emergency room. "I need some help here!" He shouted.
A doctor came out of a hallway and rushed over to him. "What have you got?"
"Nine year old boy. He was out on a camping trip with his father. They just got home and he collapsed," Caleb reported and gently set Dean down onto a stretcher that an orderly brought over.
"Is he allergic to anything?" the doctor asked.
"Uh no I don't think so," Caleb said.
They began to wheel Dean away and Caleb tried to follow. A nurse stopped him.
"I'm sorry sir," she said briskly. "You'll have to wait over there. The doctor will be out to let you know what's happening after he's done the exam."
Caleb stood there watching as the gurney disappeared down the hallway. He turned and headed back outside and parked his car. Then he ran back into the emergency room. He made eye contact with the nurse who had stopped him from following the young boy into an exam cubicle. She shook his head at him and he headed for the uncomfortable looking plastic chairs in the waiting room. He sat down and rested his head in his hands as he leaned forward. How was it that every year near Christmas he ended up in the emergency room?
Jim and John rushed into emergency a short time later. John held Sammy tightly in his arms refusing to let him go. Jim went directly to Caleb while John went to inquire at the nurses station about his son.
Jim sat down and silently put his hand on the young man's back. He was trembling slightly and didn't look up.
"I hate this time of year," Caleb muttered softly not looking up.
"I know you do. It'll be ok," Jim said back kindly. "Dean will be fine."
"We don't even know anything," Caleb said.
John set himself heavily into the chair on the other side of Caleb.
"John?" Jim asked.
Caleb looked up slightly as he felt a small hand on his back next to Jim's.
"Daddy said Dean will be ok," Sammy said softly with his head pillowed on his father's chest and his other hand clamped tightly on his father's jacket.
"Yeah?" Caleb said.
Sammy nodded emphatically.
"Dean's not responsive. But his vitals are ok," John said softly. "They're examining him to see where the problem is."
They all settled in to wait. Sammy eventually falling asleep to the steady beat of his father's heart and the safe feeling of being wrapped up in his arms. Jim left only long enough to get coffee for the adults. An hour later a young man in a white doctor's coat approached the waiting room. Several people looked at the man hopefully.
"Family of Dean Winchester?" a doctor said.
The men stood up and the doctor sighed. "Which one of you is his father?" he asked.
"I am," John said.
"Hello. I'm Dr. Vaughn. Sir will you please come with me?" the doctor said.
John looked down at his little boy asleep in his arms. He didn't want to give up his hold on his son but he looked over at the other men who where waiting with him. Caleb reached out and took the little boy out of John's arms. Sammy stirred and looked up at Caleb in confusion. He looked around and saw his father walking away.
"Daddy!" he shouted after him.
John turned quickly and almost staggered at the sudden wave of vertigo. "Just a sec," he said to the doctor.
"Daddy don't leave me," Sammy said softly.
"I'll be right back. The doctor will give me an update on your brother and I'll be back, ok Tiger?" John said softly. "It'll just be a moment."
Sammy shook his head and looked like he was on the verge of tears. "No Daddy. I want to come too," he said as he struggled to get away from Caleb.
"Stay with Caleb," John said harshly.
Sammy stopped moving and his shoulders drooped slightly. He knew an order when he heard one. "Yes sir," he whispered.
"Come on little man. It won't be long," Caleb said softly to him as they watched John and the doctor walk down the hallway.
John was surprised when he was taken to a consultation room and not to his son.
"Where's my boy?" he asked.
"Your son's been taken to x-ray and if my suspicions are confirmed then right up to surgery," the doctor said calmly.
"Surgery?" John repeated.
"Yes. We were a little unsure what was wrong with him and when we removed the tensor bandage around his wrist we believe we found the problem. What may have looked like a simple sprain is quite possibly a broken bone," the doctor said.
"But he was checked by two other doctors. they said Dean was going to be fine," John said.
The doctor nodded. "Oh your son will be fine. Not to worry. There are several bones around the wrist and hand. It's very easy to break these during times of duress. You son woke up long enough to tell me he'd been for a hike in the mountains a couple of days ago and had taken a bad fall. Although he couldn't tell us how he fell we suspect he had his hand out to protect himself. He put extreme duress on his wrist and as he fell he fractured his wrist. It's what's commonly referred to as a distal radius fracture. We also discovered a secondary injury to his shoulder. There are some deep lacerations and it was out of place. We tried to get it back into place, but had difficulty and couldn't quite get it back into place. This is not abnormal. With this kind of wrist fracture there are often secondary injuries to the elbow or shoulder."
John ran a hand over his face. "He - he never told me he was in any pain," he said at a loss.
Dr. Vaughn nodded. "Yes that's not uncommon. Patients with this injury sometimes report numbness in the area and some pain. Your son told us that it hurt but that he was managing ok."
"How does something like this get missed?" John asked.
"Well without being there when the original exam was done it's difficult to say. Dean said he couldn't get to a hospital which means the injury was not x-rayed. Mr. Winchester you need to understand that these bones are small in an adult's wrist. They are that much smaller when dealing with a child's wrist. I can only guess that when the doctor did his exam all he felt was the swollen tendons and everything in place," he said.
John nodded and sighed heavily. "What happens now?"
"I'm just the attending emergency doctor. I've done all I can. I did call and consult with Dr. Webber. He is our resident orthopaedic specialist and he's on his way in. By the time the x-ray's are ready to be reviewed he will be here. Mr. Winchester the hospital requires you to fill out some forms. We need Dean's medical history, we need to know if he's allergic to anything or if he has been on any medications lately. Also we need your permission to perform the surgery on him," Dr. Vaughn said and then paused. "I know this is a lot to take in. But your son is in the best possible hands."
"He's only nine years old," John said softly. "I should be with him."
"Dean will be ok. The surgery is a fairly routine one and it won't take long. We just need to reset the bones. We would like to keep him for twenty four hours to watch him for any signs of infection. Then if all goes well we'll cast his wrist and send him home."
"Can I see him?" John asked.
"No sir I'm sorry. He's already been moved to x-ray. Then I'm positive that he will be moved to the surgical ward. All we're waiting on is your permission so we can begin," the doctor said.
John sighed and closed his eyes. He had thought the worst was over. How could this be happening now? He opened his eyes and took the papers from the doctor. He filled them out, signed them and handed them back.
"You and your family can come up to the surgical ward's waiting room on level five. Dr. Webber will come out an talk to you as soon as the procedure is over. It won't be long sir," the doctor said then left the room.
John took a moment and ran his hand over his face to compose himself. Then he returned back to the group.
"Well?" Jim said as he saw John coming down the hallway.
Sammy squirmed out of Caleb's grasp and ran over to his father. John scooped him up and held him close before sitting down in one of the uncomfortable chairs.
"Daddy where's Dean? Can I go see him now?" Sammy asked.
"No Sammy," John said feeling exhausted.
Caleb and Jim had been waiting on pins and needles waiting to hear about Dean. The teen couldn't stand waiting any longer. "John what the hell happened?" Caleb demanded.
"Damnit I don't know!" John yelled then held Sammy closer as the young boy whimpered. "It's ok Sammy. It's ok."
John closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. He felt Sammy wrap his small thin arms around his neck and hold on tightly to him.
"John where is Dean?" Jim asked softly.
"Surgery," John said softly as he opened his eyes. "Dean has a broken wrist. They have to go in and set the wrist before it can be put into a cast."
"Sir?" A nurse said as she approached the group.
John sat up slightly. "What?' he asked.
"If you would like to come with me I'll take you up to the surgical floor. There you can wait for word on your son," she said.
"Yes. Thank you. We'll come with you," Jim said and looked at his friend. "Let's go John."
It took a moment but John got up. Jim put a hand on the man's back and walked forward. A few minutes later they were in a smaller but cozy waiting room. There were plastic couches that were just slightly more comfortable than the emergency room. John sat down heavily and noticed a table of toys.
"Sammy do you want to play?" John asked.
Sammy shook his head against his father's shoulder and yawned. "When will Dean come back?"
"We don't know," John said. "The doctors are working on him and when they're done they'll come and see us."
"Then can we see Dean?" Sammy asked.
"Yeah Sammy. Then we can see him," John said. He leaned back against the back of the couch. It was uncomfortable but definitely a step up from being chained up in a cave.
He felt Sammy's arms tighten around him and he opened his eyes as he looked down at his youngest son. His head was pillowed on his father's shoulder but he was staring at the open doorway.
"Sammy why don't you try and get some sleep little man?" John said softly.
"Want Dean," Sammy whispered.
John rubbed his back slowly up and down. "Dean's going to be fine."
"Promise?" Sammy asked looking up into his father's eyes.
"Yeah I promise," John said. "Now close your eyes."
Sammy snuggled into his father's chest and watched the door way for a minute longer before he closed his eyes. A few minutes later he was breathing deep and regular. John closed his eyes and let himself sleep.
Caleb glanced over at Jim who was sitting in a chair near him. "Hey."
The pastor opened his eyes and looked over at his son.
"You know it wouldn't be tradition if I didn't end up in a hospital somewhere over Christmas," he said softly. "Merry Christmas Dad."
Jim smiled at him. "Merry Christmas son."
Caleb leaned back and closed his eyes. He never had liked hospitals and never wanted to be in them especially around Christmas. He opened his eyes once more and took a glance over the motley group. He smiled slightly as he closed his eyes and started to relax. At least he was with his family and most of their ragged family was safe. While Dean was in surgery at least the injuries weren't life threatening. That he could live with.
With that thought firmly in place he drifted into sleep.